The present application is directed to implants maintained within a patient with one or more fasteners and, more particularly, to an implant with a locking member to prevent backout of the fasteners.
Various types of implants may be mounted within a patient. One example includes a plate sized to extend along an exterior of a femur to treat a fracture. Another example is a plate that extends along one or more vertebral members to support and/or strengthen the vertebral members. Another type of implant is a spacer that is inserted into an intervertebral space formed between two vertebral members.
The implants include one or more apertures each sized to receive a fastener to mount the implant at the appropriate position within the patient. Various types of fasteners may be used, such as screws, pins, rivets, and the like. The fasteners are inserted through the apertures and driven into bone.
A problem with some fasteners is the tendency to backout of the bone after the initial mounting. Backout may be caused by movement of the patient after the fasteners are inserted, changes in the underlying bone in which the fasteners are mounted, or miscellaneous other reasons. Backout is problematic as a head of the fastener extends outward above a surface of the implant. The head may cause injury to the surrounding tissue and/or discomfort to the patient. Backout is further problematic because the implant may move from the appropriate position within the patient. This movement may prevent the implant from performing the expected function for which it was originally implanted into the patient. Further, the movement may cause injury to the bone, surrounding bone or tissue, and/or discomfort to the patient.